With nearly 350 voters, the family of the late Ron Bahadur Thapa of Phuloguri Nepali Paam in Assam’s Sonitpur district is set to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 19, marking a significant electoral participation from a large family in the region.
The district falls within the Rangapara assembly constituency and the Sonitpur parliamentary segment, where all members of Ron Bahadur Thapa’s extensive family will cast their votes.
Ron Bahadur Thapa, who passed away in 1997, left behind a remarkable legacy with 12 sons and 9 daughters from his five marriages. His family now encompasses over 1200 members, with nearly 350 eligible to vote in the forthcoming elections.
Til Bahadur Thapa, the village headman of Nepali Paam and Ron Bahadur’s son, shared insights into the family’s history and voting strength, stating, “My father came here along with my grandfather in 1964 and settled down in the state. My father had five wives and we have 12 brothers and 9 sisters. He had 56 grandchildren by his sons. In this election, there are nearly 350 members of the Thapa family in Nepali Paam who are eligible to cast their votes.”
However, Til Bahadur expressed disappointment over the family’s lack of access to government welfare schemes and job opportunities despite their size, saying, “Our children received higher education but did not get any government jobs. A few members of our family went to Bengaluru and found private jobs. Some are working as daily wage labourers.”
Sarki Bahadur Thapa, another son of Ron Bahadur, emphasized the family’s voting strength, noting, “We have a big family of which there are around 350 members, who are eligible to cast their votes.”
The Thapa family’s electoral participation reflects a broader trend in the Sonitpur constituency, which encompasses over 16.25 lakh voters spread across nine assembly segments. The upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Assam, scheduled in three phases on April 19, April 26, and May 7, will witness significant political engagement from diverse communities and families like the Thapas in Nepali Paam.
